What do the stars in hotels mean? Shoulder straps and ranks of the Russian police: the meaning of the stars on them, historical continuity What is included in the number 4 stars

Even first-graders know what a hotel is today. But what they are, how they differ, why some of them carry the proud title of "deluxe", while others are only 5 *, as well as the features of the classification of hotels in different countries - you can find out below!

Today in the world there are more than 30 different classifications of hotels, and in each country - with its own national characteristics. They are united by several criteria by which they judge the level of comfort around the world:

• first of all, this is the state of the room stock: room area (sq. m), number of single (one-room) and multi-room rooms, apartments
• interior: condition of furniture, bathrooms
• exterior: condition of the building, access roads, arrangement of the territory adjacent to the hotel
• availability of restaurants, cafes and bars, quality of service in them
• information support and technical equipment, including telephone and satellite communications, televisions, refrigerators, mini-bars, mini-safes
• and additional services, which provide this or that hotel with additional, eye-pleasing stars on the façade.

Hotel classes

Recently, more and more countries have joined the usual star classification of hotels - it is really convenient, it is known and understood all over the world. And in those countries where they still use their usual methods of indicating the level of service in a hotel, travel agents, tour operators, online booking sites, and even the hotels themselves act wisely: they assign stars identical to the level of comfort.

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Where do they use “stars”? It’s easier to say where they don’t do this. At least, almost all of Europe, many countries in LA, Southeast Asia and even Australia and Oceania use it. Namely: France, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Egypt, China, Brazil, Russia and so on. Let's take a closer look:

1. One star is an inexpensive hotel with a minimum of services (and daily room cleaning is not always included). All rooms here are of the same type and are designed for 2-3-4 people.
2. Two stars is a budget hotel with a slightly larger selection of services. Here, daily room cleaning is possible, there are both singles and families.
3. Three stars is a middle class hotel with a standard set of services: daily room cleaning, bathroom, TV, and sometimes a minibar or refrigerator. Often on the territory of “three rubles” there are laundries for guests, there are swimming pools and gyms, and business centers. In addition, 3* can boast a wide selection of rooms: single, double, smoking, non-smoking.
4. Four stars is a high-class hotel, where, in addition to the services that can be found in 3*, they also offer spa, massage, several bars and restaurants, and conference rooms. The cost of accommodation in “fours” is significantly higher than standard 3*.
5. Five stars is a luxury hotel, which is distinguished by a wide range of services, including exclusive ones: golf clubs, multi-room apartments with maids or butlers, private swimming pools and villas. Prices for accommodation in such hotels are quite high, as well as for additional services. However, it is worth keeping in mind that 5* in a beach resort in Egypt or Turkey, 5* in Paris and 5* in Bali can vary greatly in the quality of services provided.
6. Six or seven stars are, of course, not currently included in the existing classification. This is more of a marketing ploy, but the quality and variety of services offered in such hotels really deserve one or two stars higher than in the usual “fives”. 6-7* hotels appeared in the world quite recently, they can literally be counted on one hand: these are the legendary Burj Al Arab and Atlantis The Palm in Dubai, as well as the Town House Galleria hotel in Milan.

The German classification also divides hotels into 5 stars: tourist class - 1*; standard class - 2*; comfortable - 3*; first class - 4* and luxury category - 5*.

In Greece, they use a letter system (A-B-C-D), according to which all hotels are divided into five categories. The highest - De luxe (corresponds to 5*), hotels of category A - four-star level, B - three stars, C - two-room apartments, D - economical 1*. Recently, along with the letters on the facades of the hotel, you can also see the usual stars.

In the UK, where not so long ago they used “crowns” and “keys”, they have now also switched to “stars”. The Association of British Travel Agencies distributes them as follows: budget hotels (1*) are located in the central part of the city and have a minimum of amenities; tourist class hotels (2 *) have a restaurant and a bar; middle class hotels (3 *), the level of service is quite high; first class hotels (4*), very high quality of accommodation and excellent level of service; hotels of the highest category (5*), level of service and luxury accommodation.

In Canada and the USA there is no uniform classification of hotels, and the approximate level of a hotel is indicated by letters. So, for example, T (Tourist Class) - economical and budget hotels and motels, an establishment of one or two “stars”. Moderate First Class (M) - an analogue of the "three-ruble note". F (First Class) - the usual "three-star" and 3 * +. S (Superior) - average four-star hotels, and D (Superior Deluxe and Deluxe) - well-deserved five stars.

Hotel chains

As a rule, 4-5* chain hotels are distinguished by high-quality service and carefully monitor the quality of their services; this is especially true for chains like Hilton, Sheraton or Hayat. Therefore, it is not surprising that having once stayed at one of the Hiltons, tourists subsequently choose hotels only from this chain. However, it is worth keeping in mind that beach and city hotels, even of the same brand, can differ greatly in quality. Unfortunately, Meridien in Hurghada and Meridien in Paris are two big differences. As for the network “three rubles”, and sometimes “fours” - here you need to be careful. Not all 3* city hotels (even chain ones) can boast of a large room area or some special choice of services.

Some of the world's most famous hotel chains: Hilton, Sheraton, Four Seasons, Hyatt, Swissôtel, InterContinental, Marriott, Le Meridien, Ritz Carlton. More economical are: Accor, Best Western, Ibis. In Russia, the “network business” has also begun to develop recently: these are the hotels of the chain Heliopark, AMAKS, Foresta, Azimut.

A soldier's epaulets are a kind of calling card, that is, one glance at the shoulder insignia is enough to understand what rank a soldier has. The stars on the shoulder straps give enough information about which officers the soldier belongs to.

However, shoulder straps and stars did not immediately acquire a modern look. In pre-revolutionary times, they were interspersed with additional stripes, which were called stripes. Only later did the stars on shoulder straps begin to show the soldier as a person belonging to a certain rank in the military hierarchy.

How did the stars on shoulder straps appear and what is their meaning

Back in the days of Tsarist Russia, military personnel differed significantly in appearance from ordinary citizens, since their clothes had their own special insignia. However, in that period of time, as such, shoulder straps, and even more so, stars did not exist. They were not the hallmarks of a soldier, as they are now.

As a rule, the appearance of a military man had few elements by which one could judge his rank and position in the army hierarchy. More attention was paid not to some individual details, but to all military clothing as a whole. Therefore, the outer cut of clothing, as well as the type of military weapon that the military always had at hand, testified to the status of a soldier. Basically, this rule applied to senior and junior officers. Generals, for example, had their own insignia, which distinguished them from the background of military personnel who were lower in rank.

The reformation in this area took place during the reign of Peter the Great, who, in his travels abroad, was inspired by changes in the appearance of the army during the time of Tsarist Russia. Initially, breastplates, which looked like a scarf, became the basic attribute. It housed the heraldic symbols of the army in tsarist times. When the hour of the nineteenth century struck, there was a new transformation in the appearance of the soldier's clothing, which began to resemble a uniform in appearance, and it was more of a dress coat.

In addition, original headdresses began to appear on the heads of officers, which also became part of the serviceman’s appearance, as a sign of distinction.

After such transformations, it was the turn of the epaulettes, which were the prototype of modern shoulder insignia. There is a significant difference between shoulder straps and epaulettes - the latter never had stars. Therefore, officers were distinguished in this case solely by the color scheme of their epaulettes.

If these are officers of the junior and senior ranks, then the shoulder insignia of tsarist times coincided in shade with the color of the uniform they wore. Generals, as a more privileged class in the military hierarchy, wore gold-colored epaulettes. Another difference between royal epaulettes and modern shoulder straps was that they were a decoration for a military man; they were very catchy and elegant.

Find out: What shoulder straps were worn in the USSR army, how did they appear

Often wealthy military personnel had them made to order from pure gold. Modern shoulder straps are more modest, since after the Revolution took place, preference was given to practicality rather than beauty.

In the twenties of the last century, the military uniform replaced epaulettes with shoulder straps of the modern type, which the Russian army still uses. Since then, a hierarchy has also appeared in the Russian army, which has survived to this day.

For example, one star on the shoulder straps meant that the serviceman had the rank of warrant officer, but if the soldier had two stars, then he was a major, if there were three, then the serviceman moved to the rank of lieutenant colonel, and if there were four, then he was a staff captain.

Five stars means that the soldier has the highest military rank. If this concerns ground forces, then this is a field marshal, and if this concerns naval forces, then it is an admiral of the fleet. However, five stars are not sewn on his shoulder straps; they are replaced by one large one and the coat of arms of the Russian Federation (in a modern interpretation).

However, in those days, epaulettes had not yet completely disappeared from military uniforms, since they were worn by colonels. And just like in the distant tsarist times, they did not have such insignia as stars. They came into common use on military uniforms only after another reformation took place in Soviet times, which led to the fact that soldiers began to wear overcoats.

In addition to the stars, brass buttons were also used in the Soviet army. In addition, emblems were used that demonstrated the insignia of a particular branch of the military. Since then, the military uniform has acquired the form that is used to this day.

Sequence of ranks and their corresponding stars

Stars are not currently used among the rank and file of the army. The youngest rank of a soldier who is just entering military service is private; he wears shoulder straps that do not have clear insignia. If this is a soldier who belongs to the security services, then an additional word is assigned to the rank. For example, if this is a prosecutor, then an ordinary justice is assigned.

• If this is a junior sergeant, then his shoulder straps have two transverse stripes.
• If it's just a sergeant, then it has three stripes.
• A few years later, the sergeant receives the rank of senior, and then a single stripe appears on his shoulder insignia, which is twice as wide.

Find out: What rank in the Russian Army corresponds to the rank of corporal?

Stars on shoulder straps and ranks follow a clear pattern, since in each composition they differ from each other only in quantity and size. Two stars are worn by warrant officers, and senior warrant officers wear three on each shoulder strap.

After the military has passed the senior warrant officer, he goes into the category of officers.

• The junior lieutenant has one star on his shoulder straps. On the shoulder insignia there is a small star, which indicates the initial step among junior officers. On their shoulder straps there is one gap, which is a red stripe on which all the stars are located.
• Often people who are not yet very well versed in such a hierarchy are wondering, two stars on shoulder straps - what title? In the junior staff, this is a lieutenant, his stars are located at an equal distance from each other on both sides of the central strip.
• Three stars on shoulder straps - this is a senior lieutenant, where the third star is slightly higher than the first two. Therefore, in order to determine the name of the rank to which a soldier currently belongs, it is necessary to decipher the meaning of the stars on his shoulder straps. This can be done very easily, since it is enough to know the number that a particular rank has, as well as the principle of their location on shoulder insignia. Therefore, when asked, three stars on shoulder straps - what rank, the soldier knows for sure that this is a senior military officer.
• The captain has 4 stars on his uniform. At the same time, it combines the position of the stars of all previous ranks, and the fourth is located slightly higher than the three previous ones.

Senior officers have the following hierarchy of ranks:

• Every serviceman knows by heart how many stars the first level has. The hierarchy begins with the major, who has one star on his shoulder straps and two gaps, which are represented as two parallel red stripes. The star, which is slightly larger in size than the stars in the younger composition, is located exactly between the two gaps.
• The second level is the lieutenant colonel, whose stars are located on two parallel openings, and at the same distance between themselves and from the edge of the shoulder straps.
• Colonels have 3 stars on their shoulder straps, whose first two stars on their shoulder straps are located in the same way as that of a lieutenant colonel, and the third is located slightly higher.

After a serviceman has passed all the stages in the senior officer corps, he moves to the so-called elite, that is, to the senior officer corps. On shoulder straps of this composition there are no red parallel stripes, but there is a edging of a certain color. If these are ground forces, then the edging is red.

Find out: What kind of shoulder straps did the military wear with the rank of generalissimo?

The following hierarchy takes place here:

• The first step of the military elite is a major general, who in the naval forces corresponds to the rank of rear admiral. The soldier who bears this rank has one star, which is larger in size than used in the senior staff.
• Next comes the lieutenant general with two stars, which are arranged in a row, which is the difference from the features of the location in the senior officers. The stars line up, but at a strictly defined distance in relation to each other.
• If there are 3 stars on the shoulder straps, then this is the rank of lieutenant colonel general. A soldier who is in this rank has one star more than the previous general, which is located just above the two already on shoulder straps.
• An army general has four stars. This rank was considered the highest in the military hierarchy for a long time. However, several decades later the rank of marshal was introduced. The army general's stars are arranged in a row and occupy most of the shoulder strap.

For a representative of the country's military branches, identifying ranks based on the shoulder straps they see is not particularly difficult. This is the first point that a soldier, sailor or police cadet will remember during his service. In contrast, many civilians do not care about the differences on their shoulder straps. But the situation in the world today is such that this knowledge about military symbols will come in handy.

Identification instructions

1. Soldiers' star badges on naval and army shoulder straps do not differ significantly from each other. The distinguishing characteristic lies solely in the rank. Troops with ground service are focused on field and everyday clothing. The difference is that the tunics for everyday wear with shoulder straps are supplemented with the symbols of the Armed Forces, which means “armed forces,” but on the camouflage itself these symbols are absent, only stripes and stars remain. There are no such differences in the navy; all shoulder straps are marked with the letter “F”, which denotes the navy, with the exception of the highest command.
2. It is easy to identify an army soldier among other military personnel: there are no stripes or stars on his shoulder straps, with the exception of the abbreviation BC on his daily uniform. In the navy he is awarded the rank of sailor.
3. Above the soldier in command is the corporal, his symbol of pride is a single stripe. In the navy he is called the chief sailor.
4. The senior and ordinary sergeants have two and three stripes. In the Navy, these ranks are called petty officer of the 1st and 2nd articles.
5. For pride, a senior sergeant has stripes with a large width parameter; senior sergeants have two stripes - a wide and a narrow one. On a ship, such ranks are held by the chief and the ship's petty officer of the same rank.
6. The senior and ordinary ensign's shoulder straps include small stars: the ensign has 2, the senior - 3. The stars are arranged alternately in a row along the perimeter of the long edge of the shoulder strap. On the ship they bear the ranks of midshipman and senior midshipman.
7. Almost all junior officers have stars. And what distinguishes them from serving army officers is a longitudinal stripe in red that runs along the entire epaulette.
8. The junior lieutenant has one star, which is located near the center of the shoulder strap. As for the stars, the lieutenant has two, which are located across, the senior lieutenant has three, placed in a triangle, and the captain has four stars. In this case, the ranks of the navy are the same as those of the land fleet, with the exception of captain. There he is called captain-lieutenant.
9. Officer sergeants wear large stars and two transverse lines of red.
10. The major has one unit in the center of the epaulette, the lieutenant colonel has two, which are placed in width, the colonel has three, placed resembling a triangle. On a ship, these ranks correspond to captains of three ranks from first to third.
11. The highest ranks of officers have shoulder straps decorated with the largest stars, without red ribbons.
12. The major general has one large star attached to the central part of the shoulder strap, the lieutenant general has two, which are placed along the long edge, the colonel general has stars in three units, which are located in a row in a straight line. At sea, generals are called admirals and their ranks are respectively counter-, vice-, admiral and naval admiral.

There are four stars: let’s figure out what rank corresponds to

Captains wear camouflage shoulder straps with a red line. 2 stars are located on the sides at a distance of 13 millimeters and 2 more above them, vertically on the strip in a row.

The field uniform is characterized by the fact that the shoulder straps have no stripes along the edges, and the stars are white.

A lieutenant commander in the navy wears gray-black shoulder straps and yellow color lines. Two stars are located on the sides of the strip at 13 millimeters, and 2 more are located vertically above them.

In our country, the police maintain order, control and regulate it.

Many people ask how to distinguish between shoulder straps and police ranks in order to correctly address a person in uniform and “not lose face”?

Police officers and military personnel have a lot in common. They protect Russian citizens and ensure the safety of life of the residents of our state.

The responsibilities of police officers in the Russian Federation are as follows:

• compliance and control of the law;
• organization of order for the population;
• crime detection;
• preventing illegal actions, searching for criminals.

Police ranks and shoulder straps of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation is one of the main law enforcement agencies in our state. The Ministry of Internal Affairs assigns positions or special titles to its employees, guided by where and in what department the employee works.

The law of the Russian Federation describes periods of length of service in special ranks, which almost correspond to military ranks, only marshal and corporal are missing. In addition to the rank, the words “police” and “retired” are written.

Police officers are divided into five constituent ranks from private to general.

All employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with special ranks are required to wear a uniform and insignia.

Shoulder straps are considered insignia. They are on the shoulders and show what rank the policeman is. To properly understand the differences, you need to look at the shoulder straps, determine the number of stars, size and how they are located.

More detailed information about the ranks is provided below.

Senior management

This officer rank includes generals.

In ascending order they include:

1. Major General - one big star on his shoulder straps.
2. Lieutenant General - 2 large stars located vertically.
3. Colonel General - three large stars placed vertically.
4. Police General of the Russian Federation - the emblem of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the form of a double-headed eagle at the inner edge and one very large star (from July 20, 2015, the emblem was changed by Post. Pr. No. 1147 of November 3, 2014 - there were 4 large stars). In 2015, in Russia, this title was awarded for the first time to the Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation V.A. Kolokoltsev. This is the highest rank of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Conditions for obtaining titles are the required length of service. It is added to the previous length of service, five years each for the first and second ranks from the above list. The third and fourth ranks from the list are appointed only by the president of the country.

Note: The shoulder strap is covered with a pattern, there are no gaps.

Senior command staff

The insignia of this officer rank also differs, and it consists of three ranks according to the list:

1. Police Major - one big star;
2. Lieutenant colonel - two large stars, their placement is horizontal on the outer edge of the shoulder strap;
3. Colonel - big three stars. Their location: two are located horizontally along the outer edge of the shoulder strap, and the third is above them in the center.

The necessary conditions for obtaining ranks in this category are a certain length of service, which is added to the service in the previous rank. May be three to four years.

Take note: a distinctive feature is two gaps (two vertical stripes) on shoulder straps, their edging is red.

Middle management

This is the first officer rank. It also has its own differences:

1. Junior lieutenant - 1 star.
2. Lieutenant - two stars horizontally.
3. Senior lieutenant - three stars: two are placed horizontally along the outer edge, the third is in the center, above them.
4. Captain - there are four small stars: two on the outer edge, and two above them in the center - one above the other.

Titles are assigned by decision of superiors, a prerequisite for career growth: a diploma of higher education, and then a certain length of service, which is added to the length of service in the previous rank.

It is worth noting: shoulder straps highlight one gap.

Junior command staff

Here again everything differs according to rank, and their signs are also different from one another:

1. Junior sergeant - there are two horizontal stripes in the middle.
2. Sergeant – there are not two, but three in the middle.
3. Senior Sergeant - in the center it is one wide horizontally.
4. Sergeant Major - one wide, long vertical stripe.
5. Ensign - two vertical stars are placed on the shoulder strap.
6. Senior warrant officer - there are three such stars.

These titles are given by decision of the authorities, and the mandatory condition for obtaining these titles is the following: secondary or secondary specialized education.

Good to know: The shoulder straps are plain, without gaps or patterns.

The rank and file of the police

This police rank is the most junior. This includes:

1. Privates - there are no signs on their shoulder straps (clean, empty), they receive rank from the first day of service in the police.
2. Cadets of educational institutions - a large letter “K” is depicted on their shoulder straps.

The rank and file is subordinate to all four commanding structures, listed above in order.

Conclusion

Based on the above, when meeting with an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a police officer, you can easily determine what rank the person is standing in front of you.

It is enough to remember the main dividing points:

• empty shoulder straps - private;
• stripes - non-commissioned officers;
• stars without stripes - warrant officers;
• stars and stripes - officers;
• big stars and patterns are the highest composition.

The division of police officers into five main types - compositions, and the introduction of insignia is of great importance for the order, control and effective service (for the benefit of the state) of this structure.